Anchorman 2: Scotchy Scotch Toss Review

Mobile game movie tie-ins can be instantly forgettable, as these apps' sole purpose is to plug the feature's impending release. Anchorman 2: Scotchy Scotch Toss is far from an ambitious foray, but Ron Burgundy's sheer presence should save the day.

A developer can have Mr. Burgundy read the proverbial phone book and still craft a serviceable app, and with Scotchy Scotch Toss we are faced with a similar, simplistic dynamic. With the use of countless ice cubes, you will slide your finger across your device and aim for Burgundy's drinking glass. Although I still have no idea why this lusty news icon doesn't prefer his Scotch neat, he does have fine taste in music.

Over at Tino's Jazz Bar you can fling your cubes at different targets and rack up points. Whether it's hitting the cocktail waitress, the minotaur, or the bass player who's strumming away, Burgundy will give various replies to your actions. Will Ferrell provided over 300 lines for this app, and if you love hearing comments such as, "Hurry up, I've an important steak lunch to attend" well, you won't be disappointed. Gamers are also given the option of two player mode, as they can play 3 rounds of Scotchy Scotch Toss with a fellow Facebook friend.

The app's main appeal is to hear Ferrell dish out the humor as well as to see how your tosses affect Burgundy's environment. Easily an hour into the game, I'm still discovering such lines as "easy with the Winnebago, this baby's a classic," and "who needs battery life when you have scotch, toss a cube will ya?" For a $0.99 download, you'll be treated to Burgundy-isms and four different locations. On a visual level, I really dug Burgundy's RV, mainly due to the vehicle's rayon shag carpeting and the addition of his white cowboy hat. That boiling pot filled with yellowish fluid is a chimichanga dish Burgundy's currently cooking up.

The huge flaw behind Anchorman 2: Scotchy Scotch Toss is that several hundred lines and four Burgundy locales makes for a charming time for several plays but the lack of variety gets a bit wearying. Having the same Burgundy comments filter from room to room also smacks of creative laziness. If each section had its own specific set of one liners, gamers may have that extra incentive in moving forward. Instead, everything just blends together, like Burgundy's diluted drink.

If the app wants to have any semblance of a shelf life, further Burgundy locales and new Will Ferrell lines should be added with a future update. Tossing ice and being treated to a bunch of funny lines is all fine and dandy, and if it was a strictly free to play title I would have given this game a bit more leeway.

One of the huge reasons to switch over to iOS gaming is its cheap price point. Although $0.99 sounds like a more than reasonable bargain to download this app, one has to consider that even the best free to play titles give you a ton of action for zero cents. If you're a huge Anchorman fan, throwing some coins to spend time with the mustachioed San Diegan shouldn't be a problem. But after 15 minutes of ice tossing, you'll be clamoring for more Burgundy in your mix, and a little less of that same old Scotchy Scotch.

App Store Link: Anchorman 2: Scotchy Scotch Toss for iPhone & iPad | By Paramount Pictures | Price: $0.99 | Version: 1.1 | 72.9 MB | Rating 12+